Printing device



E. A. FORD PRINTING DEVICE Oct. 30, 1934.

Filed July 26, 1933 Ill/11111111111: nun/1,

Fl l O INVENTOR" -A'I'TORNEY- 7 Patented Oct. 3( 1934' 1,978,898PRINTING DEVICE Eugene A. Ford, Scarsdale, N. Y., assignor toInternational Business Machin New York, N.

es Corporation,

1., a corporation of New York Application July 26, 1933, Serial No.682,283

2 Claims.

a resilient restoring member to restore the type elements to theirnormal position in the carrier,

which is simpler and cheaper in construction than those heretoforeemployed.

Another object is to devise. an arrangement in which the type elementscan be placed more closely together in the carrier.

Another object is to devise a restoring spring adapted to restore thetype elements which may be placed close together without the necessityof reducing the width of the type elements and weakening them.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a type carrier with the type elementsmounted therein and also showing in section a platen with which the typeelements are adapted to cooperate and a plunger for operating theindividual type elements.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a slight modification of the type carrier construction shownin Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the type carrier is shown as comprising a vertical bar 1provided with a head 2 fixed thereto and with the individual typeelements 3, mounted in a head. Y

The type carrier is adapted to be raised so as to position any one ofthe type elements in printing position with respect to the platen 4 andink ribbon 5. a

When a type element is in printing position, it will be in alignmentwith a plunger 6 which, when actuated, will force the type against theribbon and a sheet of paper mounted on the platen. The spring '7 servesto restore the plunger 6 to normal position.

Instead of employing a separate coil spring associated with each of thetype elements to restore the latter after printing operations, a singlespring 8 is employed. One arm 8a of this spring rests against theportion 2a of the head and is held against displacement by projections9.

Another arm 8b of this spring reaches across a shoulder 3a provided oneach of the type elements. The thirdarm 8c of the spring connects thearms 8a and 8b as shown. The common spring thus serves to restore anytype element which may be moved to the left to effect printing.

This particular shape or arrangement or spring 8 renders it possible toconfine the spring within the distance between the uppermost andlowermost type element 3, and without necessitating a spring too strongfor some of the type elements or too weak for others. It will be notedthat the projection 31: is provided with an undercut portion asindicated at 3b to hold the spring in place.

This spring arrangement makes it possible to employ very small typeelements 3 where several type bars are to be employed close together toprint in adjacent columns on record sheets which columns are very closetogether. Where individual springs are used for the type elements, it isnecessary to cut away so much of the stem of the type element to makeroom for the spring as to weaken it and the springs themselves are veryweak. With the present construction, much smaller type elements,placed-closer together, can be used than would be possible whereindividual springs are employed.

In Fig. l, the type elements 3 are shown rsting one on top of the other,whereas in Fig. 3 the type elements are separated by intervening spacers10. The arrangement of Fig. 1 makes it possible to confine the verticalupward and downward movements of the type bar 1 to a minimum. Where thearrangement of Fig. 3 is employed the actuation of any one of the typeelements for printing will not tend to carry the adjacent type elementswith it. In Fig. 1, although the type rest upon each other, inertia willnormally prevent an adjacent type from following where the actuated typeis impelled by a very quick blow. However, in order to prevent the typefrom following and making shadow impressions upon the record, shieldsll, 12 may be employed. The type element which is in printing line will,when actuated, press the ribbon against the platen or sheet of paper ata point between the edges of the shields 11, 12. The type element aboveor below will, if they should tend to follow, be prevented by theshields from moving beyond that particular point. Y

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features oi the invention as applied to a singlemodification, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changesin the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention,therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the followingclaims:

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing device, a type carrier having a plurality of typeelements, said elements being adapted to be moved relatively to thecarrier to effect printing, and a common spring associated with all ofsaid elements to restore them to-normal position, said elements havingundercut shoulders at the point of contact with the spring to hold thelatter in position.

2. In a printing device, a platen, a type carrier movable with respectto said platen,.a plurality of when 'said one of said elements isoperated for printing, said shield being adapted to restore an actuatedtype element to normal position in its carrier when the carrier isrestored after prints.

EUGENE A. FORD.

